Bronchogenic cysts: a rare congenital cystic malformation of the lung.

OBJECTIVE

Bronchogenic cysts are rare congenital cystic malformations of the lung. We retrospectively analyzed ten cases of bronchogenic cyst (BC) to reinforce the importance of recognizing this malformation.

METHODS

Between 1985 and 2000, ten pediatric patients with BC were treated surgically in our department. Their clinical presentation, radiological, operative, and pathological findings were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

There were five boys and five girls, ranging in age from 16 days to 6 years (mean 6.5 months). The clinical signs and symptoms included respiratory distress in seven patients (70%), cyanosis in four (40%), chronic cough and fever in five (50%), and dysphasia in two (20%). Routine chest X-ray revealed a pulmonary air-filled cyst in six patients (60%) and a pulmonary nodular opacity in four (40%). The diagnosis was supported by computed tomography in four patients and by ultrasonography in two. Eight of the patients were treated by cyst excision and two by lobectomy. The pathological diagnosis made from all specimens was bronchogenic cyst, with squamous metaplasia in two.

CONCLUSIONS

In newborns, infants, and even children, the development of dyspnea, cyanosis, chronic cough, and fever should alert us to the suspicion of a cystic malformation in the lung, such as a bronchogenic cyst, especially if an air-filled cyst is seen on a plain chest X-ray.